Excavating-machine



W. K. LIGGETT. EXCAV/WING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 3, 1920.

www@ Nov. 22, 192i.

5 SHEETS-SHEET I.

WITNESSES;

w. k. naam.

` EXCAVATING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 3 1.920.

Patented Nov. 2.2, 1921..

5Y SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES W. K'. LIGGETL EXCAVATING MACHINE.

APPLCATION FILED FEB. 3. 1920.

Patented Nov. 22, 1921.

5 SHEETS-'SHEE 3.

ATTORNEY.'

W. K. LIGGETT.

EXCAVATLNG IVICHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. s', 1920.

Patented Nov. 22, 1921.

SHEET 4.

5 SHEETS- l INYENTOR.

A OBNEY.

W. K. LIGGETT.

EXCAVATNG MACHlNE.

APPLlcATIoN FILED F.a,-192o.

Patented Nov. 22, v1921.

W/NESSES.-

stars earaar essie WILLIAM K. LIGGETT, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, T0 THE JEFFREY MANUFAC.

TUBING COMPANY, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF (3l-[IQ EXCAVATINGA-MACHINE.

iaaias.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 3, 1920. Serial No. 356,100;

useful Improvements in EXcavating-Ma- 1' chines, of which the following is a lspecification,refe rence being had therein to the ac? companying drawing.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in excavating machines, and especially to machines adapted to reclaim material from natural deposits or from storage piles, and to load said material into convenient receptacles for transportation.

One object of this invention is to provide a machine of the class described having an inclined conveyer' especially adapted to loosen and gather relatively compact material from a pile at the level of the ground7 and to convey such material to elevated discharge points at the rear of the machine.

A further object is to provide a machine of the class described having. a conveyer adapted to clear itself when buried by the avalanching of the material of a storage ile.

, A further object is to provide supporting and controlling devices fbi" .the conveyer whereby it may be conveniently adjusted to various inclined operative positions, or to a horizontal position convenient for traveling under relatively loT overhead obstructions.

A further object is to provide improved.

means for the attachment of the conveyer buckets to the conveyer chain adapting them to more eiciently gather, carryand discharge material.

A further object is to provide improved accumulatingr devices to receive the material from the continuously operating conveyer, and to discharge it at the option of the operator 'into suitably .placed receptacles for'v transportation.

The means by which I attain these, and other objects, are fully set forth in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings of which-- Y Figure 1 is a side elevation of the preferred embodiment of my invention showing the conveyer adjusted t0 an inclined positionv for gathering material from the ground.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the machine illus-- trated in Fig. l certain of the parts being broken away t0 reveal other parts. b n Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the machine illustrated in Fig. 1. Fig. et is .a side elevation of the machine illustrated in Fig. 1 showing the conveyer adiusted to its horizontal position.

lFig. 5 is a horizontal transverse section of the power transmitting elements of the machine taken along the line VMV'of Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal vertical section of the power transmission elements of the machine taken along the line VI-VI of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary detail of the operating handle of the reversing gear mechanism.

Fig.' 8 is a fragmentary vertical cross sec tion taken along the line VIII-VIII of Fig. 1.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary end elevation of the devices illustrated in Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a cross section taken line'X-X of Fig. 8. Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic ligure illustrating the action of the conveyer buckets when gathering material. Fig. 12 is a diagrammatic figure illustrating the action of the conveyer buckets when discharging material.

along the Fig.j13 is a detail of theiconveyer frame.

As shown inthe drawings my improvedr excavating machine comprises an elongated conveyer which is pivotally mounted upon a horizontal axis on an automobile truck. The

conveyer may be adjusted to various inclined positions or vto a substantially horizontal position. The inclined positions are adapted to gather material from points in front of the machine at or near the ground while the horizontal position is especially adapted for traveling under relatively .low overhead obstructions.-

ratenteti Nomea, resi.

The conveyer consists of a series of buckets 1 attached at spaced intervals to a pair of endless chains 2 which are adapted to travel around the foot wheels 3 and head wheels 4 supported at the opposite end of the conveyer frame upon the foot shaft 5 and head shaft 6 respectively. The foot wheels 3 are of larger diameter than the head wheels 4, for reasons which will be hereinafter explained. The conveyer frame comprises a structural steel framework having longitudinally extending angle bars 7 joined together by suitable cross members 8, 9 and 10. Attached to the side angles 7 near the center of gravity of the conveyer are steel plates 11 having apertures through which extends the supporting shaft 12 which is supported upon brackets 13 of the truck frame. To the under side of the cross members 8 and 9 are attached the steel straps 14 which form stirrups in which is slidably supported a wooden beam 15, formed of selected, straight grained timber, having a high coefficient of elasticity, and shaped to afford a resilient support for the gathering end of the conveyer. `To the forward end of the beam 15 is bolted a suitable casting 16 to which the foot shaft 5 is attached and-the foot wheels 3 are freely rotatable upon the shaft5. Secured to the outer ends of the angle bars 7 are journal bearings 18 in which the head shaft 6 is mounted. To the head shaft 6 is attached a sprocket wheel 19 connected through a suitable driving chain 20 with the sprocket wheel 21 freely rotatable upon the project- 'ing end of the pivot shaft 12. A sprocket wheel 22 formed integral with the wheel 21 is connected with the power devices of the machine to drive the conveyer in a manner to be hereinafter described.

Attached to the inner end of* the beam 15 is a casting 23 having an aperture in which is screw threaded an adjusting screw 24 the outer end of which engages a socket 25 'at' tached to the cross member 10. By manipu-l lation of the screw 24 the beam 15 may be moved longitudinally in the stirrups 14 to adjust the tension of the conveyer chains 2 in a manner common in conveyer practice.

The chains 2 are of the well known type composed of side bars 26 connected by pintles 27. At spaced intervals certain of the side bars 26a are provided with laterally eX- tending flanges 28 to which the buckets 1 are secured by suitable .attachment bolts.

Each of the buckets 1 is formed with a relatively long straight back 29 the lower part of which curves outwardly and upwardly to form the front wall 30 of the bucket.' The front wall 30 is linclined upwardly at an acute angle with the back 29,

and is connected thereto by side walls 31, 31

which are also inclined outwardly and upwardly to afford clearance for the heel of the bucket relative to the material through which it may be digging. At its upper end the front wall 30 is bowed outwardly, as shown in Fig. 15, and, together with the side walls 31, 31 is reinforced and protected by a renewable serrated steel bar 32 adapted to cut and loosen relatively compact material. Owing to the extension of the serrated cutting bar 32 and to the peculiar fornnof the front wall 30 and side Walls 31, the buckets are adapted to gather material from a relaf tively compacted mass either by a direct frontal advance or when advanced diagonally toward either side. The buckets 1 are so positioned upon the flanges 27 that the transverse plane extending perpendicular to the longitudinal lines of the chain side bar v26a through the axis of the rear pintle 27a will also include the outermost edge of the front wall of the bucket. By so positioning the bucket upon the chains there is, produced a peculiar action at the foot and head of the elevator which greatly reduces the tendency for materialto spill from the buckets during the operation of the conveyer.

In Fig. 11 is illustrated the action of a bucket as it changes from the circular movement around the foot wheel to the straight line movement longitudinally of the conveyer. As the chain straightens out the front wall 30 of the bucket is rotatedsharply rearwardly about the pintle 27 a from the position shown by dotted lines at 30a to the posltion shown by full lines at 30h causing the included material to drop away Afrom said front wall thereby settling said material into the bucket and greatly reducing its tendency to spill over the edge of the bucket while in transit.

1n F'g. 12 is illustrated the peculiar actionl of the bucket as it changes from the straight line movement longitudinally of the conveyer to circular movement about the head wheel 4g. As the chain wraps about the head wheel 4 the back wall 29 of the bucket is sharply rotated inwardly about thepintle 27, from the position indicated by dotted lines at 29a to the position indicated by full lines at 29h, causing said back wall to run away from the included material leaving said material free to act under the iniuence of centrifugal force produced by its rotation about the head shaft 6. At the same time the movement of the front wall of the bucket from the position indicated by the dotted line 30D to the position indicated by the full line 30b produces an exhilaration in the material within the bucket which materially assists in its complete discharge. By this action the buckets are promptly and completely discharged of their loads thereby preventing the dribbling of material from the buckets of the return strand of the conveyer.

Owing to the relatively small dia-meter of the head wheels 4, a small lineal advance vof the buckets as they pass over the head of the aaeaiaa conveyer causes a great angular advance thereby producing relatively great centrifu# gal force which assists in the discharge ofmaterial from the buckets. On the other hand, the same lineal movement around the relatively large foot wheels '3 causes less centrifugal force and a proportionate decrease in the tendency of the buckets to throw material while gathering it.

To assist in dislodging firmly compacted material I have provided digglng claws 33 interspersed with said buckets at suitable intervals upon the conveyer chains, and these digging claws are provided with renewable cutter bits 34 adapted to engage the compacted material in a storage pile or natural deposit and tear it loose. By the devices above described my apparatus is adapted to reclaim firmly compacted material either from natural deposits such as sand or gravel banks, or from storage piles such as the'heaps of acid phosphate in 'fertilizer factories or the like. It is of course apparent that a greater or less number of digging claws may be used, or they may be entirely omitted, to.

suit there. uirements of the conditions under which t e machine is operated.

When, from such causes as the. freezing of the material, the buckets 1 and digging bits 34 are unable to penetrate the surface of the mass, the resilience of the beam 15 produces a beneficial ramming action. As the truck advances by the tractive effort of the wheels 39 and 40, the contact of the buckets with the frozen material reacts against said traction and the inertia of the machine to produce a strain in the resilient 4beam 15 which causes the truck to rebound to be again advanced by the traction wheels;V The continuation of this action causes the conveyer buckets and digger bits to strikea suc cession of blows upon the material which drives said bits into the surface of the mate:

. rial and also tends to break it u In the operation of such mac ines it frequentlyy happens that the forward end of the conveyer is completely buried by the ava lanching of loose material. kIn such cases the resilience of the beam 15 permits it to yield to the rearward pressure of the buckets as they advance around the foot wheel, thereby greatly relieving the strain upon the ma'- chine. -This intermittent backward pressure of the buckets istransmitted, through the beam 15, to the supporting truck forcing it rearwardly and thereby withdrawing the conveyer from the mass of loose material without the intervention' of the attendant.

The supporting truck comprises a structural steel frame having bottom sill mem* bers 35 formed of suitable channel bars, to the forward ends of which are attached the upwardly extending angle bars 36, and these members are braced together with suitable pla-tes' and angles in the manner well understood by those well skilled in structural steel construction. The channel bars 35 rest upon and are rigidly attachedtoa square,..axle bar 37 at the ends of which are formedthe spindles 38. Upon thespindles 38 are mounted ground engaging tractionv wheels 39 and 40 which support the weight of the rearward part of the machine. y

The angle bars 36 extend upwardly to form the brackets 13 upon which the conveyer frame is supported in the manner already described. To the angle bars 36 are attached the cross angles 41 and 42 and to these is attached the. bracket casting 43. Formed in the bracket casting 43- in the longitudinal central vertical plane of the machine is a journal bearing 44 in which is journaled the spindle 45 of the wheel fork 46. Formed on the bracket casting 43 is a stop 47 adapted to contact with the arms of the fork 46 to limit its rotation. To the lower ends ofthe arms of said wheel fork is secured a spindle 48 upon which is journaled the ground engaging steering wheel 49 of relatively large diameter which supports the weight of the forward part of the machine. A worm wheel 50 on the spindle 45 is engaged by a worm 51 keyed to a transverse steering shaft 52. The shaft 52 is supported in suitable bearings 534 of the bracket casting 43 and has at its outer end a hu'b 54l from which project radially eX- tending arms 55 adapted to be grasped by the handof" the operator to rotate the shaft 52. By the rotation of the shaft 52 the spindle 48 may be turned.y in its bearing; thereby turning the plane of rotation of t e ground wheel 49 to any desired anglev with the longi-' tudinall lines ofthe machine to steer it in any preferred'v direction. The worm 51 and worm; wheel() are of the non-overhauling type and serve. not only to turn the steering p.

truck vframeis a -suitable motor 60 which may `be'of any preferred .type adapted to the conditions under which the machine is operated. For the purpose of illustration I have shown an electric motor, which may be supplied `with electric current from any convenientsource of' electric supply through any suitable flexible conductor, and which may be controlled by any preferred type of controlling mechanism. As these devices are well known in the art and from no part of the present invention their illustration and description is not thought to be required at this time. To the armature shaft of the motor 60 is secured a pinion 61 which engages the master gear 62 keyed to the jack shaft 63. The jack shaft 63 extends across the machine and upon its projected end 64 outside of the frame casting 57 is positioned a sprocket wheel 65 adapted to be operatively connected to the jack shaft through a suitable friction clutch 66. rlhe sprocket wheel 65 is connected by a-chain`67 with the sprocket wheel 22 through which the conveyer is actuated. A suitable operatinfY lever 68 isprovided for the manipulation or the Vfriction clutchl 66, and this leverf is connectedV with a pull rod 69 whichextends across the machine to a position convenient to the hand of the operator.

Mounted upon the 'jack shaft 63 and adapted to free rotation thereon and slidj ing motion longitudinally thereof, is a quill having clutch teeth 71 and 72 formed uponits opposite ends. The clutch teeth 71 are adapted, when the quill is in its extreme right hand position of'longit-udinal adjustment to e-ngageisimilar teeth upon the hub of the master gear 62 to drive the quill at the same speed as the master gear. Keyed to the jack shaftv 63 is a` pinion 73 which engages a spur gear 74 supported for free rotation upon the cross brace rod 58 of the transmision frame. Formed on the hub of the gear 74 is apinion 75 which engages a spur gear .76 freely rotatable upon the jack shaft 63. 0n the hub of the gear 76 is formed clutch teeth adapted to engage with the teeth 72 when the quill 70 is in its extreme left hand position `of longitudinal adjustment, thereby driving; the quill 70 throughthe gears 73, 74, 75 and r76 at a speed greatly reducedr from that of the master gear 62. Ashifting lever 77 is provided by which the quill 70 may be moved longitudinally of the shaft 63, and this lever is connected with a )ull rod 78 which eX- tends through the sie casing ofthe truck frame to a. position convenient to the hand of the operator. A spur gear 79 formed on thevquill 70 has a suthcientlv elongated face to permit of the extreme longitudinal adjustment of Said quill without causing said pinion toloose its engagement with certain driven gears hereinafter more fully set forth.

'Supported in suitable bearings 80 and 81 of the transmission frame castings' 56 and 57 is a driven shaft 82 which projects outside the frame at both sides of the machine. Upon the right hand end of the shaft 82 and extending through the journal bearing 81 of the frame. 57 is rotatably mounted a quill 83. To the shaft .82 andthe quill 83- respectively are -attached a pair of' oppositely disposed similar bevel gears 84 and 85 which are simultaneously engaged by a plurality of bevel pinions 86 carried by the ring gear 87, forming a differential drive of a type well known in the art. The ring gear 87 is engaged by a spur pinion 88 mounted for free rotation upon the shaft 89 which is secured at both ends to the transmission frame castings. Mounted upon the shaft 89 is a spur gear 90 arranged to be connected with the pinion 88 through a suitable friction clutch 91. The clutch 91 is provided with a shifting lever 92 of the usual type and this lever is connected with the pull rod 93 extending through the side wall of the casing to a position convenient to the hand Of the operator. Supported upon the shaft 89 is a yoke casting 94 have ing two lstud shafts 95 and 96. Upon the stud shaft 95 is journaled a pinion 97 arranged to engage the spur gear 90, and upon the stud shaft 96 is mounted a. slightly smaller spur pinion 98 which is arranged to engage the pinion 97 but to avoid engagement with vthe spur gear 90. The stud shafts 95 and 96 are so positioned relative to the shaft' 89, and the relative diameters of the pinions 97 and 98 are such that when the yoke 94 is rotated about the shaft 89 either one of the pinions 97 or 98 may be brought into engagement with the pinion 79. By this arrangement of gearing the gear wheel may be driven from hthe pinion 79 through the pinions 97 and 98 in one direction, or through the pinion 97 alone in the opposite direction.

The yoke 94 is connected by a link 99 with an arm 100 supported upon the driving shaft 81. Upon the outer end of the arm 100 is formed a gear segment 101 adapted to engage the pinion 102 attached to a transverse shaft 103. through the transmission frame at the left hand side of the machine and is provided with an'operating handle 104 by which said shaft may be rota-ted. The operating handle 104 is provided with a latch 105 adapted to engage suitably positioned apertures 106 in the frame casting to secure said operating handle in either of its positions of angular adjustment. B v manipulation of the operating handle 104 the yoke 9'4 may be rotated about its support to cause either of the pinions 97 or 98 to engage the' pinion 79 to cause the reversal of the direction of the rotation of the drive shaft 82. Attached to the drive shaft 82 and the quill .'83 outside the frame of the machine are the pinions 107 and 108 which engage the ring gears 109 and 110 attached to the traction wheels 39 and #40 and through which power is applied to propel the machine.

By the arrangement of rods and levers above described all of the devices for the control of the machine are made easily accessible from a position at one side of the The shaft 103 projects I asesina machine where the operator may conveniently observe the action of the conveyer. Through the agency of therod 93 the truck may be gently started or stopped, and sliparms 55 the truck may be steered in any preferred direction while the differential gear 87 permits the driving wheels 39 and y 40 to properly function while the machine is traveling in a curved path.

To effect the rotation of the conveyer about its pivotal support I have provided at each side of the machine a toggle lever which also serves to hold the conveyer inl.any preferred position of angular adjustment Both of the toggle levers comprises' a bar 111 connectedat itsupper end to the side angle 7 of the conveyer frame by a suitable pivot bolt 112, and a bar 113 the lowerd end of which is connected to the truck frame by a pivot bolt 114. The adjacent ends of the bars 111 and 113 are hin ed together by a suitable hinge rod 115 w ich extends across the machine and maintains the spaced relation of the toggle levers. Connected to the toggle leversv by the hinge rod 115 are rack bars 116 formed of steel tubes having spaced alined apertures 117 adapted to engage with the teethof the pinions'118. The pinions 118 are keyed to a transverse shaft 119 which is supported in suitable journal Y bearings 12() and 121.attached to the angles.

122 of the truck frame. Positioned at each side of each of the pinions 118 are journal bearings 123 which are .formed on the yoke castings having cylindrical body portions 124 through which the rack bars 116 are loncylindrical body 124 and the journal bearings 123 is such as to maintain operative engagement between the pinions 118 and the rack bars 116. Keyed to the shaft 119 .outside of the journal bearings 120 is a radially eX- tending lever 125 to which are secured two pivot studs 126. Upon the studs 126 are mounted oppositely disposed pawls 127 andrl 128 adapted to simultaneously engage a ratchet disk 129 formed on the end of the journal bearing 120. The pawls 127 and 128 are provided with outwardl extending projections 130 which engage the opposite ends of a compression spring 131 to press said pawls against said ratchet disk and thereby lock the shaft 119 against rotation in either direction. Freely rotatable upon the shaft'119 is a hand wheel 132 having a longitudinally extending finger 133 which projects through an aperture 134 in the lever arm 125 and between the pawls 127 and 128. Vhen the hand wheel 132 is rotated in The relation of theV either direction the finger-133 contacts with one of the pawls, as for example the pawl` 127, lifting it out of engagement with the ratchet disk 129 to permit the rotation of the shaft in that direction. Such movement of the hand wheel 132 causes the finger 133 to engage the lever 125 to rotate the shaft 119 and thereby move the rack bar 116. l/Vhen the hand wheel 132 is released the spring 131 instantly returns the pawl 127 to engagement with the ratchet disks 129 to again lock the shaft 119 against rotation in n either direction, and prevent further movement of said rack bar, thereby securing'the conveyer inthe preferred position of angular adjustment.

In operation the machine will usually be moved from place to place vat its higher rate of travel the lower speed being intended for feeding the conveyer into the material which is to be reclaimed. When the steering wheel 49 is turned at an angle with the longitudinal lines of the machine the projected line of its axis of rotation will intersecti the projected line of the axis of rotation of the traction wheels at a point about which the machine willitravel in a circular path. The location and proportions of the stops 47 is such as to limit the rotation of the steering wheel tol prevent the intersection of said axial lines from falling between the `traction wheels. Should such intersectionfall between the traction Wheels movement of the machine about such point of intersection could only be attained by the revolution vof the driving wheels in opposite directions, and differential gearing of the typesteering wheel 49 is turne"d to steer the ma- 1chine in a curve ofsuitable radius, causing the forward end of the conveyer to sweep a circular path such as is indicated by the line 143. The advancing front wall 30 and side walls 31a of the buckets are thus brought into contact with the storage pile to gather material therefrom. After the conveyerhas traveled across a sufficiently wide face, the reversing handle 104-willbe turned to cause the reversal of the direction of rotation of the traction wheels, thereby swinging the conveyer in the opposite direction. The ani gle of the steering wheel should be so adjusted at each reversal of the direction of travel as to produce a sufficient advance of themachine'to enable the buckets to reach the material in the pile and to be filled as they pass around the foot wheel 3.

By the peculiar arrangement of driving and steeringwheels herein set forth the conveyer may be caused tov gather material from a relatively wide front without seriously disturbing the point of delivery.

A further advantage derived from the arrangement above described is the attainment in a rigid tru'ck construction of relatively low center of ravity and a three point supportl peculiar y adapted to use upon eX- tremely irregular ground.

Attached to the toggle bars 111 by hinges 135, in position to receive material discharged from the conveyer buckets as they pass over the head of the conveyer, is a hopper 136 the lower end of which is closed by a pair of clam shell valves 139 controlled by the lever 140 ositioned within convenient reach of the and of the operator. A counterweight 141 attached to the lever 140 serves to hold the valves 139 in closed position. A hood 142 formed on the upper/'edge of the hopper 136 prevents the throwing of material beyond the top of the hopper` as it is discharged from the buckets. Projecting forwardly from the lower part of the hopper 136 is a strut 137 adapted to impinge upon the rear wall 138 of the truck frame to hold said hopper upright under working conditions. As the conveyer rotates about its pivotal support the strut 137 slides, upon the wall 138 preserving contact therewith and thus maintains the hopper in working relation with the conveyer during a considerable range of its adjustment. As the rack bars 116 are thrust' rearlwardly to rotate the conveyerto its horiient receptacles, such as .wheelbarrows or the like, may be passed beneath said hopper and, by manipulating the valves 139, the accumulated material may be transferred to said receptacles as they are successively placed, without interrupting the action of the conveyer.

When the material in the pile 143 is so compacted that ity will not slide upon itself .to be gathered from the ground at the margin of the pile, it may become desirable to feed the conveyer longitudinally along i straight lines into the mass. By such feeding a kerf is cut in the mass having a width equal to that of the buckets. As the buckets 1 are wider than any of their supporting devices at the forward part of the conveyer, or than the steering wheel 49 or any of its mountings, such kerf will afford a path along which the Wheel 49 may advance until the material at the sides of said kerf, indicated by the lines 144 in Fig. 2 contact with the frame of the truck. After the machine has been so advanced there may remain an overhanging portion such as is indicated at 145 in Fig. 1. This overhanging materal may be cut away by the elevation of the forward end of the conveyer through the instrumentality of the hand wheel 132, after which the machine may be. backed away from the pile, the gathering4 endf of the conveyer lowered, and themachine advanced along new lines..

It is to be understood that the above'dei 85 scribed" methods of operation are only typical of the various uses to which the machine is adapted and that wide variation may be made in the details of its construction without departure from the spirit of my inven-i tion.`

What I claim is- 1. In a machine of the classv described, the combination with a mainframe supported upon laterally disposed traction wheels in the rear of its center of gravity and a centrally disposed steering wheel in advance of said center of gravity, means to actuate said traction wheels to propel i the machine, self locking means to control saidv steering wheel to guide the machine, and a longitudinally extending conveyer supported upon said frame and adapted to gatherV material from points in advance of said 'steering wheel and convey it rear- 105 wardly to elevated discharge points as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a main frame supported upon` laterally disposed traction wheels in the rear of its center of gravity and a centrally disposed steering wheel in advance of saidcenter of gravity, means toactuate said traction wheels to propel 4the machine, self locking means to control said steering wheel vto guide the machine, and a longitudinally extending conveyer supported upon said frame adapted to gather material from points at or near the level of the ground in advance of said steering wheel and convey it rearwardly to elevated discharge points as and for the purpose set forth.`

3. In a machine of the class described, the combination vWith a main framel supported upon laterally disposed traction Wheels in the rear of its center of gravity and avcentrally disposed steering wheel in advance of said center of gravity, means to actuate said traction wheels to propel the machine, self locking means to control said steering wheel vto guide the machine, and a longitudinally extending conveyer supported in the central vertical plane of said frame and having buckets wider than the face of said steering wheel adapted to gather material ,from points in advance of said steering wheel and convey it rearwardly to elevated discharge points as and for the purposefset forth. l

4f. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a main frame supported upon laterally disposed traction wheels in the rear of its center .of gravity and a centrally disposed steering wheel in advance of said center of'gravity, means to factuate said traction wheels to propel the machine, self locking means to cont-rol said steering `wheel to guide' the machine, a longitudinally extending conveyer pivotally supported upon a transverse horizontal axis on said frame and adapted to gather material from 4points in advance of said steering -wheel'and vconvey it rearwardly to elevated dischargev points, and means to adjust the angular .relation of said conveyer about its support as and forthe purpose set forth.

, 5. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a main frame supported upon laterally disposed traction wheels in the rear of its center of gravity and a centrally disposed steering wheel in advance of said center of gravity, means to actuate said traction wheel to propel the machine, self llocking means to control said steering wheel to guide the machine, a longitudinally ex-v tending conveyer pivotally supportedmidfl way its-length upon a transverse-horizontal axis on said frame and adapted to gather material from points in advance ofthe steering wheel and convey it rearwardly to elevated discharge points, and meansl to adjust the angular relation of said conveyer about its support as and for the purpose lsettorth. f 6. Ina machine of the class described, the combi'nation'with an automobile truck, of a longitudinally extending conveyer supported midway its length upon a transverse horizontal axison `said truck, and4 rotatable thereon from a substantially horizontal vtraveling positionL to an inclined operative position adapted to gather material from points at or near the ground, means to rotate said conveyer about said axis, and means to automatically lock said conveyer in anyi preferred position of angular adjustment.

'. 7 AIn a machine of the class described, the

- combination with an automobile truck, of a longitudinally extending conveyer supported midway its length upon a transverse horizontal axis on said truck, androtatable points at or nearthe ground, meansto rotate in any preferred angular relation.

said conveyer about said axis, means to automatically lock said conveyer in any prelferred position of angular` adjustment, and

means to accumulate material delivered by said conveyer and to discharge the same atA the option of the operator.

8. In a machine ofthe class described, the combination with a supporting frame, of a conveyer pivotally supported midway its length upon a transverse horizontal axis on lar relation of said strut bars to cause rotation ofsaid conveyer about its axis, and means to automatically lock said strut bars 10. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a supporting frame, of a conveyer pivotally supported midway its length upon a transverse horizontal axis on said frame, strut bars hinged together andhaving their respective outer ends pivotally connected with the conveyer frame and the supporting frame, means to vary the angular relation of said strut bars to cause rotation of said conveyer about itsaxis, and ay hopper carried by said strut bars adapted toreceive material from said conveyer.

l1. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a supportingframe, of aconveyer pivotally supported midway its Vlength upon a transverse horizontal axis on connected with the conveyer frame and the supporting frame, means to varythe angular relation of said strut bars to cause rotation of said conveyer about its axis, and a hopper pivotally supported upon said strut bars in position tore'ceive material from said con veyer.

12. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a supporting frame, of

a conveyer pivotally supported midway its l length upon a transverse horizontal axis on said frame, strut barshinged together and lhaving their respective outer ends pivotally connected with the conveyer frame and the supporting frame` means to vary the angular relation of said strut bars toA cause the". rotation of said conveyer about its axis, fa

hopper hinged to said strut bars yin position to receive material from said conveyer", and

means to retain said hopper in upright position during the operation of the machine.

13. In a machine of the class described, the combination with asupporting frame, of a conveyer pivotally supported midway its length upon a transverse horizontal axis on said frame, strut bars hinged together having their resepective outer endspivotally connected with the conveyer frame and the supporting frame, a rack bar connected with said hinge and engaging a pinion upon a control vshaft by the rotation of which the angular relation of said strut bars may be varied to cause the rotation of said conveyerv about its axis.

14. In a machine of the class described, the combination with asupporting frame, of a conveyer pivotally supported midway its length upon a transverse horizontal axis on said frame, strut bars hinged together having theirrespective .outer ends pivotally connected with the conveyer frame and the supporting frame, a rack bar connected with tion in either direction.

said hinge' \and engaging a pinion upon a control shaft by the rotation of which the angular relation` of said strut bars may be varied to cause the rotation of said conveyer about its axis, and means to automatically lock said shaft against rotation in either di-v rection. l

15. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a supporting frame,

of a conveyer pivotally supported midway its length upon a transverse horizontal axis on said frame, strut .bars hinged together having their respective outer ends pivotally connected with the conveyer framel and the supporting frame, a rack bar connected with said hinge and Aengaging a pinion upon a control shaft by the rotation of which the angular relation of'said strut bars may be varied to cause the rotation of said conveyerA about its axis, manually operated means to rotate said control shaft, and means automatically effective when said rotatingmeans is released to lock said shaft against rota- 16'. In a machine of the class described, the combinationwith an elongated conveyer frame, of transverse head and foot shafts `carried thereby, chain engaging wheels mounted upon said shafts, an endlesss chain mounted upon and adapted to travel around said wheels, said chain comprising a series of longitudinally extending bars suitably articulated at their adjacent ends, conveyer buckets'having relatively long straight back walls and upwardly and outwardly inclined front walls attached to saidl chain bars in such relation, thereto that the transverse plane extending perpendicularly to the length of'said bar through the axis of its rear articulation willinclude the advancing edge of said front wall. l

17. In a machine of the class described, the combination with an elongated conveyer frame, of transverse head and foot shafts carried thereby, chain engaging wheels mounted upon said shafts, an endless chain vmounted upon and adapted to travel around mounted uponsaid shafts, an endless chain,"

mounted upon and adapted to travel around said wheels, said chain comprising a series o longitudinally extending4 bars suitably articulated at theiradjacent ends, conveyer buckets having upwardly and outwardly inclined front` walls attached to ,said chain bars in such relation thereto that the transl verse plane extending perpendicularly to the length of said bar through the axis of its rear articulation will include the advancing edge of said front wall.

19. In a machine of the class described,

the combination with an elongated conveyer frame, of transverse head and foot shafts carried thereby, chain engaging wheels mounted upon said shaft, an endless chain mounted upon and adapted to travel around said wheels, said chain comprising a series of longitudinally extending bars suitablyarticulated at their'adjacent ends, conveyer buckets having upwardly and outwardly in- 'clined front and side walls attached to said chain bar .insuch 'relation thereto that the transverse plane extending perpendicularly its rear articulation will include the advancing edge fof ysaidl front wall.

20. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a supporting frame,

veyer frame projecting forwardly from said supporting frame, and a conveyer mounted upon said conveyer frame as and for the purpose setr fort 21. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a supporting frame, of a longitudinally extending resilient conveyer frame projecting forwardly from said supporting frame, and a conveyer mounted upon said conveyer frame and adapted to gather material from points in advance thereof and convey it rearwardly to eleto the length of said bar through the axis of o f a longtiudinally extending resilient convated discharge points as and for the purpose set forth.

22. In a machine of thel class described, the combination with a supporting frame, of a longitudinally extending resilient conveyer frame supported upon a transverse horizontal axis on said supporting frame,

the combination With a supporting frame,-

of -a longitudinally extending conveyer frame supported upon a transverse hori zontal axis on said supporting frame the forward part of said conveyer frame being resilient formovement in longitudinal vertical planes, and a conveyer mounted upon said conveyer frame as and for the purpose set forth.

24C. In a machine of the class described,;E

the combination with a supportingframe,v

of a longitudinally extending conveyer 25 frame pivotally supportedpmidWayl its length upon a transverse horizontalaxis upon said supporting fra-me thevforward part of said conveyer frame being resilient,`

means to adjust the angular relation of said 30 conveyer about its support., and a conveyer mounted upon said conveyer framev as and for the purpose Set forth.

In testimony whereof, I aHX my signature, in presence of two'witnesses.

WILLIAM K. LIGGTT.

lVitneses A HARRY C. DEAN, ANNA M. FENLON. 

